Yaxel Lendeborg introduced himself to the NBA by talking smack to Luka Doncic in his first game. The Warriors rookie has confidence. Now his head coach has a blunt take on whether that is enough.
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Lendeborg’s offensive prowess has been evident since his college days. It’s the defense that worries head coach Steve Kerr.
“The defensive side is where I want to see the most improvement, though,” Kerr noted. “His [Lendeborg’s] weak-side awareness right now is very poor. With his size, he should be one of our best defenders at the rim.”
With various veterans sidelined, Lendeborg has been logging heavy minutes, averaging over half an hour per game thus far.
“Right now he’s unaware on the weak side, and that’s an area he really has to improve,” Kerr concluded.
The Warriors were already under significant stress. Star player Steph Curry and veteran icon Draymond Green did not participate.
The Golden State Warriors are now three games down. In their third game, they fell to the Phoenix Suns 122-131 despite Lendeborg’s efforts. He scored 26 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, making him the team’s highest scorer.
Moreover, Suns guard Devin Booker went absolutely ballistic, scoring 43 points, the highest in the match. Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges scored 15 and 16 points each.
While the team suffered from defensive gaps, one must admit they were handicapped as well. Two of the Warriors’ most efficient scorers were not on the floor.
Regardless, the team has had a lukewarm season opening so far, having lost three in a row. But it doesn’t seem to affect Yaxel Lendeborg’s confidence, which was evident during his game against the Lakers.
Lendeborg and Doncic became embroiled in a verbal fight on the floor. Tempers flared in the second quarter when a foul was called on Lendeborg, who called the move “weak ass s**t.” He later opened up about the incident while speaking with the press.
“I was telling him he sucks,” he said. “He can’t score on me. You talk but you can’t score on me. I said it the whole game. I said a couple cuss words, obviously. That’s why I got the technical. But I was letting him know.”
At the end of the first half, however, it was Doncic who ultimately came out swinging. Lendeborg was the nearest defender when the Lakers star made a last-minute basket 48-feet across the court. He then proceeded to look at the Warriors’ rookie and laugh.
“He was talking crazy,” Luka Doncic said later on. “But I wasn’t trying to talk back. This season, I’m not trying to get techs.”
It’s true that the Lakers were able to break through the Warriors’ defences. Luka Doncic personally put up 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists for the team. Walker Kessler scored 26 points, and Austin Reaves collected 23 points to clinch the win.
Regardless, coach Steve Kerr ultimately praised Yaxel Lendeborg’s effort this season.
“Yeah, he’s fearless, he’s huge, and he’s got a great skill set. He can dribble, pass and shoot,” he said after the loss to the Suns.
The coach noted Lendeborg’s experience in the league, claiming that he’ll improve as he plays in the NBA.